Coach Wooden

[Rick1988]

Sorry if this is already out there, but I've been without internet a few days. Just read that Coach Wooden is in UCLA medical center and considered in "grave" condition. What an absolutely wonderful human being and the best coach ever. Lets just hope he pulls through.

 

[theboat]

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/news/story?id=5249138

This sucks, but I think he has gotten about as much life out of those tires as possible.

 

[IATrainMaster101]

99 years old. They guy seemed to do everything right.

 

[HawksnWhiteSox]

Greatest coach basketball has ever seen and an even better person...Hope for nothing but the best for Mr. Wooden.

 

[JonnyDrama]

The father of cheating to win in college basketball. May he rest in peace.

 

[hawkeye12345]

The father of cheating to win in college basketball. May he rest in peace.

We're going to get ripped by some on this board but +1.

It took Wooden 15 years to win a national championship at UCLA. They started winning championships after a guy named Sam Gilbert started funneling cash and players to the program, including Bill Walton. If you don't know the back story, Sam Gilbert (allegedly) was a money launderer for drug money. He (allegedly) funneled millions of dollars and the most prominent players into the UCLA program. According to several published articles and books Wooden wasn't involved in the transactions but simply chose to look the other way.

With all of that said, the guy is an icon in college basketball and will be missed. He has more than made up for his flaws by how he lived his life after he left the program.

 

[sdjones]

He's only worth 1 point in the death pool.

 

[ElleHawks]

Rick Reilly is still in awe of John Wooden - ESPN The Magazine

 

[homes]

It took Wooden 15 years to win a national championship at UCLA.

If Iowa had only been a little more patient with Lickliter . . . Or, maybe they need to get their own Sam Gilbert. (insert winky guy here).

 

[hawkeye12345]

We had a Sam Gilbert type but he went to USC.

 

[Hawk4Life76]

RIP....Great ambassador for basketball

 

[sdjones]

This just in. John Wooden, no more birthdays. Gary Coleman and John Wooden in the same week? Oh the horror.

 

[hawkeye12345]

He will be missed.

 

[JHHawk]

Only guy to ever be enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and then as a coach. Wooden was a great player,great coach,and great person. Somewhere Bill Walton and hundreds of other players are crying.

 

[CoolRunnin66]

99 years old. They guy seemed to do everything right.

Easy to do when your teams payroll is 2nd only to the Lakers.

 

[CoolRunnin66]

Only guy to ever be enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and then as a coach. Wooden was a great player,great coach,and great person. Somewhere Bill Walton and hundreds of other players are crying.

I don't know if Bill is crying or not, but I'm guessing you've not read his book.